Jacob d



\ (No Model.) l J. D.v MILLER GAR GOUPLING.

No. 358,561. l 'PatentedE MaJ-1'. l, 1887..

Nirnn dramas JACOB D. MILLER, on

YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLENG.

SPECIFICATION' forming pari'. of Letter s Patent No. 358,561, datedMarch 1,1887.

Application filed June ll, 1886. Serial No.20460. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, .Lioon D. MTLLER, a citizen ofthe United States, anda resident of the city and county of York, in the State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings, of whichthe fol lowing is a specification.

My invention is a car-coupler constructed, substantially as fullydescribed hereinafter, so as to secure an automatic coupling with carsprovided with like devices, and to permit the coupled cars to be broughtat an angle to each other without lateral vibration of the conplingdevices.

In the drawings, Figure l is a bottom plan View of a portion of atrnck,showing parts in section. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional viewofa modified |form of my invention. Fig. Sis a perspective of thedrawhead, and Fig. 4. is a detail showing two draw-heads connected.

The draw-bar A is provided with an enlarged end, a, supported in a case,B, which is attached to one ofthe cross-beams of the truck, and aspring, b, is interposed between the head a and the end of the case,totake up the shock in starting the car. The forward part of the beam ispreferably pivoted at a,and on its end carries the draw-head C,which ismade barbed shape, all as more fully described hereinafter.

Secured on either side of the draw-bar is a cylinder or drum, D,preferably having one open end, sliding in a frame or way,E,seoured tothe frame of the truck, and the drums are made adjustable in said waysby means of the extension screw-rods d d, passing through lugs e e onthe way and secured by the nuts d d.

Inside the cylinders are traveling pistons or heads F, and interposedbetween these heads and the closed ends of the cylinders are spiral orother springs G, acting to force the heads outward. Secured to the headsF are connections, preferably in the form of chains I, which passthrough the heads of the drums and thence between two friction and guiderollers, H, and which are secured to the draw-bar A. It will thus beseen that the pivoted drawfbar is held in position by the chains, andthat it can be raised or lowered for any purposemas for coupling withanother car-by hand, a lever, or other Well-known appliance. I haveshown a lever, J, secured to the bar and eX- tending into operativeposition on the platform of the car, and the bar is provided with anelongated slot, j, (see Fig. 3,) to admit oflongitudinal motion withoutinterference with the lever. As the bar is elevated or depressed itdraws the chains over the rolls H and compresses the springs Gin thedrums, and while in this way the bar may be made to yield for4 thepurpose of coupling, it is always under tension ofthe springs, whichhave a tendency to return the bar to its normal position, and the headswill be securely interlocked.

In Fig. 2 I have shown another means for holding the draw-bar at theproper elevation l to couple with another car,and this consists in ayoke, K, iitting'in the frame L and carrying the bar A, whileextension-arms 7c 7c pass through the platform of the truck and are adjusted by the nuts thereon; or alever, l,hav ing a projection, 7s',passing through a hole in the frame, may be used to raise the bar.

The draw-bar A is provided with a drawhead, C, in the similitude of anarrow-head, having straight interlocking edges c and beveled sides c.This arrow-head may be made of two parts, secured together by suitablemeans, as screw s,and these parts are recessed to receive the enlargedand rounded end Aof the draw-bar,and the screw spreferably passesthrough the said end. The head is thus secured to the bar, but iscapable of a swinging movement around the end thereof, to permit theedges of the heads to preserve a full contact with each other when twocars are coupled together upon rounding a curve, the position of theheads being indicated in Fig. 4L. In order to hold the heads in normalposition to facilitate and insure proper coupling,the springs p p arepreferably placed in recesses in the head and bear against the bar, asshown.

The operation of the devices will be understood from the above. Thedraw-heads being normally held in proper position, when two cars cometogether to be coupled one of the heads may be slightly raised ordepressed, so that the points of theheads will pass each other, and assoon as they have moved over each other sufficiently thespring-connections will cause the edges c to slip past one another, andthe tension of the springs will tend to hold them in position. If, forany reason, the head ofone ear is above or below the planeiof the other,the springs admit of raising or lowering the ICO heads to cause them toproperly engage with each other; or, if another form of coupling is usedin connection with my improved form, the head may be arranged so that itwill en- 5 gage therewith. The heads being pivoted, as

shown, upon the bars, they will tend to maintain proper relation witheach other under all conditions, and especially when the cars arerounding a curve they will preserve a good 1o grip, the springs 19allowing the heads to swing on the end of the bar. ASide brackets, R,may be placed on the truck to prevent the heads swingingso far sidewiseas to endanger uncoupling.

To take up the shock upon starting the train the spring-piston B isprovided, the slot in the bar permitting it to move forwardwithoutinterfering with the operating handle or lever, and the chainsand spring-connections also 2o yield and tend to restore the bar toitsnormal position.

Vhat I claim is- 1. The combination, with the verticallymovabledraw-bar, of the drums at each side 2 5 of the draw-bar, spring-actuatedheads in the drums, and connections between the heads and the bar,substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the drawebar, of the drums at each side of thedraw-bar and adjustable in the ways, spring-actuated heads in the drums,and chains connected to the heads and the bar, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination, with the drawbar, of the drums, spring-actuatedheads, chains, and the rolls between which the chains pass,substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the draw-bar, of the head pivotally securedthereto to swing laterally,and provided with interlocking edges on eachside of the pivot, substantially as described.

5. The combination,with the draw-bar having an enlarged end, of thedraw-head pivotally mounted thereon, and springs bearing upon the barand head and tending to hold the said head in its normal position.

6. The combination, with the draw-bar, of a pivoted arrow-shaped. headhaving straight interlocking edges c and inclined faces c',substantially as described,

7. The combination, With a draw-bar, of a head pivotally mounted thereonand provided with interlocking edges on each side of the pivot, andsprings interposed between the head and the sides of the draw-bar,substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the drawbar, of a yoke surrounding the same, aframe in which the yoke iits, and a lever with au arm under the frame,carrying a projection extending upwardly through the frame and engagingwith the yoke, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB D. MILLER.

Witnesses:

S. E. SrANsLnie, CirAnLns OLEMAN.

